Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has claimed that a certain figure at Manchester City has changed English football.
Working at a League One club, there are not many more suitable candidates than MacAnthony for noticing how the impact from Premier League clubs trickles down to the lower tiers of the English game.
Ultimately, it is the key figures at clubs like Manchester City whose work plays a key role in influencing chairmen and managers in divisions such as the League One.
Darragh MacAnthony says one man at Man City has changed English football
At the end of the day, clubs like Peterborough United also aspire to be at the top like City one day, dominating both domestically and in Europe.
On talkSPORT, Darragh MacAnthony claimed that Pep Guardiola is responsible for transforming the English game.
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MacAnthony initially said: “It depends on what you’re looking for at a club. But I’d argue style of football’s pretty important because even a club winning a league title, their fans can get bored very quickly.”
Sam Matterface asked: “And do you think that’s down to Pep Guardiola’s influence on the English game?”
Darragh MacAnthony replied, also mentioning the £378,846-a-week man’s impact in influencing top clubs to appoint his proteges.
“Absolutely. I think he’s revolutionised, just look at his family, his tree of coaches, [Mikel] Arteta, then you’ve got the Leicester [now Chelsea] manager [Enzo Maresca], in the NFL they have had, you have certain coaches.”
Sam Matterface said: “You don’t get a job now unless you’ve rubbed shoulders with Pep Guardiola. Or you certainly get further up the queue.”
MacAnthony said: “So if you come from that tree of coaches that’s involved with Guardiola, you’re going to be seen as the new sexy toy. A lot of the coaches and fair play.”
Guardiola certainly has had a huge influence on the English game
In our view, one cannot help but agree with Darragh MacAnthony about Pep Guardiola.
The Catalan tactician has seemingly impacted how fans perceive the game — with supporters demanding their club to have a specific style of play, as MacAnthony stated.
Guardiola’s philosophy was identifiable from day one and his footballing ideals have led him to dominate English football in unprecedented fashion.
In addition, the fact that two of the decorated manager’s former assistant managers are managing a pair of ‘Big Six’ clubs next season; Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and Enzo Maresca at Chelsea begs the question of whether any coach has influenced the English game like he has.